Kids under 5 to get free flu jab!

Follows last year’s severe flu season

Local kids between six months and five years old are now eligible for free flu jabs this year, Member for Murray, Austin Evans, announced today.

This $3.5 million influenza vaccination program follows last year's severe flu season, where much of the community was hit hard.

“So today’s announcement means more than 400,000 children across the State are eligible to receive better protection not only for them, but also for their families and the wider community. We all know how horrendous the flu can be and this is especially hard on the smallest members of our families,” Mr Evans said

Be aware that children who have never had a flu vaccination will need two doses, one month apart. This will cover four strains of influenza virus, two A strains and two B strains which are likely to be present this winter.

Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said NSW childhood vaccination rates had increased by 6.3 per cent since 2010, to 93.9 per cent in 2017.

"We already have some of the best childhood vaccination rates in the country and this free flu jab will go even further to protect our little ones from potentially deadly flu infections,” Mr Hazzard said.

Last year, there were more than 12,000 confirmed cases of influenza in children under five - and many more who were likely not tested.